Constipation and Encopresis

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Constipation and encopresis in children

The BRICK (Bowel Retraining in Constipated Kids) clinic is a special clinic within the Division of Gastroenterology at Children’s Mercy Hospital dedicated to the care of children with constipation and encopresis. This clinic targets children 3 years and older who struggle with constipation and soiling, but are otherwise healthy.

Symptoms associated with BRICK clinic

Patients who are seen in the BRICK clinic have symptoms that include, but are not limited to: encopresis, stooling accidents, soiling, fecal/stool/bowel incontinence, constipation, large or hard stools, infrequent stools and/or stool withholding.

Who can be seen in BRICK clinic?

Constipation is a common problem for many children. The BRICK clinic was developed to provide children with severe, chronic constipation a comprehensive program to improve their bowel function. Your child must meet the following criteria to be seen in the BRICK clinic:

The child is healthy without any major medical issues such as cerebral palsy, autism, genetic disorders, or Down’s Syndrome for example.

What to expect during your visit

Scheduling

Your child will be scheduled in the BRICK clinic once our access representatives, nurses or our administrative assistant determines that your child is a candidate for the BRICK clinic. This determination is done via phone or while you child is being seen in the Gastroenterology Clinic by a physician.

Initial consultation

Your first visit in the BRICK clinic will last approximately one hour. During this visit, nurse practitioner Kacie Kaufman, APRN, will complete a history and physical as well as reviewing previously ordered tests and documents. If your child has been seen by another provider outside Children’s Mercy, it may be beneficial to have the child’s records sent to our facility. Further testing may be needed depending upon your child’s history. If this is the case, we will discuss these tests with you and why they may be necessary.
Initial appointments are scheduled on the second Monday of the month at Children’s Mercy Kansas campus and every Thursday at the Adele Hall, Main Campus.

Follow-up consultation

Patients are typically seen approximately one month after their initial visit. This visit lasts approximately 30 minutes. After the first follow-up appointment the patient will be scheduled to come back again 1-3 months later. Follow-up appointments are then scheduled on an as-needed basis.
Follow-up appointments are conducted at the Adele Hall, Main campus on Tuesdays and at Children's Mercy Kansas on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please contact the clinic to schedule all follow-up clinic appointments.